Light-cut-out switch for fire-houses.



J. GROUSS.

LIGHT CUT-OUT SWITCH FOR FIRE HOUSES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 19l6- Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

3 SHEET8-SHEET I.v FY 1.

FIRE ALARM CIRCUIT l-T '5. Z2 /7 LIBHHNB URCUIT. FIRE ALARM URELIIT INVENTOR WITNESSES j y w d/waw 4%; M, BY W I 4 TTORNE Y8 J. GROUSS.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

3 $HEETSSHEET 2.

LIGHT CUT-OUT SWITCH FOR FIRE HOUSES.

4 APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24" 1916. 1,218,855.

.I. GROUSS.

LIGHT CUT-OUT SWITCH FOR FIRE HOUSES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 241.1916- 1,218,855. Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES l/I/ VE N TOR W M A "OR/V578 JOHN GROUSS, OF ELIZABETH, NEiTf J ASSIGNOLR OE ONE-HALF T0 CLARENCE E.

i PRYOR, OF ELIZABETH, NEW 3 LIGTHT-CUT-OUT SWVITGH FOR FIRE-HOUSES.

Application filed March 24., 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN Gnonss, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Light-Cut-Out Switch for Fire Houses, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This inventlon relates to apparatus for automatically cutting out the lights in a fire house upon the lapse of a predetermined period of time, say four minutes more or less, after a fire alarm has been turned in, which causes the automatic turning on of the lights in the fire house, it being understood that it is theusual custom in certain fire companies for all the members to leave the house with the fire fighting apparatus when an alarm comes in, and unless automatic means he provided for cutting out the lights they will remain until the members of the company return from the fire. While apparatus has been proposed for automatically cutting out the lights, the arrangement of the various instrumentalities is such that with each succeeding alarm the lights will. be again turned on.

It is the general object of the present vention to improve automatic cut-out paratus whereby the lights will remain out after the first alarm and until the paratus is reset, when the members of fire company return to the fire house.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of a clockworks that is normally held stopped by a constantly energized electromagnet which is in the fire apcut apthe alarm circuit of a town or municipality, so

that when the circuit is broken by the sending in of a fire alarm the magnet becomes deenergized and the clockworks is set off so that it will run for a predetermined period of time, when it releases a trip which causes the lights to' be extinguished, the lights being automatically turned on by the deenergizing of the electromagnet at the same time the clock begins to run.

With such objects in view, and others which will appear as the description procoeds, the invention comprises various novel Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 13, EH7,

Serial No. 86,386.

features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be set forth with particularity in the following description and claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illust ate certain embodiments of the invention and wherein similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views,

Figure 1 is a front view of the automatic cut-out switch in its normal or set condition;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the lighting switch closed and the parts in a position just prior to the automatic opening of.

the lighting switch and the stopping of the clockworks Fig. 3 is a detail View of the devices for controlling the starting and stopping of the clockworks;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on the line 4r4, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the circuit connections; and

Fig. 6 is a view of a modified form of the invention especially adapted for gas lighting systems.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a box, cabinet or case in which are arranged the lighting cut-out switch B, G the clockworlrs, and D the electromagnetic device for holding the switch normally open. lhis box is arranged in the fire house at any suitable point and is provided with a glazed door 1 which is adapted to be opened for the purpose of setting the apparatus.

The switch B, as well as the other parts of the apparatus, are mounted on a plate or slab 2 of slate or other insulating material. In the present instance the switch is shown as consisting of two blocks of insulating material 3, and in each block, as shown in Fig. l, is a vertical chamber at that contains mercury 5, and into this mercury dips a finger-like contact 6. The contacts 6 are electrically connected together at their upper ends by a bar 7 which is fastened to a strip of insulation 8. Fastencd to each block 3 is a metallic terminal connector 9 formed with a stud 10 which extends into the block 3 and is partially surrounded by mercury. The lighting circuit wires 11 and 12 are connected with the terminal connectors 9, and connected with these wires are lamps 13 suitably arranged in the fire house. Normally the contacts 6 are held out of the mercury, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the lighting circuit is open, but when the switch B 010 cs, by the contact 6 dropping into the mercury, the lamps 13 will be lighted. The blocks 3 are separated from each other so as to reduce any likelihood of a short circuit.

To normally hold the switch B open, the electromagnetic device D is employed. This comprisesan electroinagnet Ll, fastened by a bracket 15 to the plate 2, and the armature 16 of the electromagnet is carried by a lever 17 that is fulcrumed at 18. The end 19 of the lever has an opening 20 through which passes the threaded stem 21 rigidly secured to the cross-bar 8 of the switch, and 011 the stem is a nut 22 that engages the top side of the lever and enables an adjustable connection to be made between the lever and the movable element of the switch. The windings of the electromagnet 1 1 are connected with the wires 23 and 2 1 of the fire alarm circuit, there being a lightning arrester 25 connected across the alarm circuit. lhe alarm circuit is normally closed so that current constantly flows through the electromagnet, and consequently the lever 17 is held in such a position that the cut-out switch 13 will be open-circuited. When the electromagnet 1a is deiinergized the movable element of the lever will gravitate to closedcircuit position and close the lighting circuit in the [ire house, which circuit will be kept closed until the lapse of a predetermined period of time.

The clockworks C determines how long the lighting circuit will be kept closed. This mechanism C comprises a suitable arrangement of intermeshing gears driven by a spring 26. The gear wheel 27 01 the train of gears has a pin 28 with which is cngageable stopping and starting dogs 29 and 30. The

dog 29 is carried by the lever 17, and when the lever is released by the electrcmagnet the dog moves downwardly out or" the path of the pin or projection 28, so that the clock will be permit ed to run under the motive force of its spring 26] The stopping dog 30 is normally raised out of the path oi? the pin 28, being so held by a spring 31 coiled around the shaft to which the dog 30 is connected. The dog 30 is thrown into the path of the pin 28 by means of an arm 33 connected with tl e sl aft 32 and arranged to be engaged by a pin 3% on the wheel 35 of the train of gears. This pin makes one revolution during the actuation of the clockworks and determines the period of lighting of the lamps in the fire house. Normally the pin 3t is to the right of the arm 33, as shown in Fig. l, and when the wheel makes a complete revolution the pin 3t will engage the arm 33 on the left side and move the arm so as to throw the stop dog 30 downwardly to engage the pin 28 on the wheel 27 and thereby stop the cloclnvorks. lhe pin also controls the device for opening the switch B. This device comprises a ical rod 36 slidably mounted in brackets 7 and 37 and having its upper end 38 en- 'ageable with the cross bar 8 of the switch. eween the bracket 3'? and a collar 39' on no red 36 is a helical compression spring .10 tends to throw the rod 33 upwardly. 0 rod 36, which has its lower end eX- t riding downv-Jardly out of the box A, is a shouh l1 with which isengageable the exnity +22 of a catch 13, the same being ful- -ed at ston the bracket 37 and having a nnger 25 located in the path of the pin 3 1', so that after the wheel 35 hasalmost completed the revolution the pin 31 will strike the finger and disengage the extremity 42 of the catch from the shoulder 11, whereby the rod 36 will be thrown upwardly by the to .sion of the spring i0 and cause the switch 13 to open. After the switch has been thus automatically opened it remains so until the apparatus is again manually reset. To do this the box is opened and the arm 33 sprung forwardly and passed orer the pin 34, so. as athe left side thereof, as shown in. e The lever 17 is returned to normal ition, where it will he held by the electro- 't being understood that the-magic pull of this magnet is not suilicient to r store the lever 1? after the lever has been i; ped. The rod 36 is pushed downwardly against the tension of its spring 10 and is held in its lowered position by the resetting if the catch The apparatus is now ready o a ctuated by the sending in of an alarm of another lire.

1n the modification shown in Fig. (3 the apparatus is designed for controlling gas lights, and consequently the electric cut-out switch B shown in Figs. 1, 9 and 5 is dispensed 1th. In the basement, or in any other suitable point in the fire house is arranged a cut-out valve E in the gas supply pipe 46, there being a bypass 17 around the valve E, so that there will always be a low flame burning in the lamps. The valve is opened and closed by a lever or equivalent means l3 which carries a weight if) that operates to lower the lever and thus open the valve when an alarm is sent in. The spring actuated catch normally holds the lever 18 raised. This catch is connected by -a bellcrank lever or equivalent means 51 with a rod or equivalent means 52 that carries an actuating weight 53,the rod 52 extending upwardly into the box A. Connected with the o co upper end of the element 52 is an adjustable collar 54: which is engaged by a pivoted. catch 55 disposed in the box A, and so arranged that the lever 17, corresponding to the lever 17, Fig. 1, will hold the catch 55 in the position shown in Fig. 6 as long as the magnet 1% is energized. When the magnet is deenergized the lever 17 drops and releases the catch 55, so that under the action of the weight 53 the element 52 moves clown- '\vardlyand disengages the catch 50 from the lever 48, so that the weight 49 will open the valve E and light the lamps to full power.

To close the valve E, the lever 4.8 is raised by a weight 56 which is heavier than the weight 49. This weight is connected by a suitably guided cord 57 with the lever 48, and it is normally held raised by a springactuated catch 58 that is connected by a cord 59 with the lever 43, corresponding to the lever 43, Fig. 1, so that when the pin 34 actuates the bellcranlr lever 4:3, the cord 59 is pulled so as to release the catch 58 and allow the weight 56 to drop and raise the lever 48 to normal position. The weight 56 is restored to normal position, when the catch 58 will automatically set by pulling upwardly on a resetting device 60 that is mounted on the boX A or any suitable place, and which is connected by a cord 61 with the weight 56. In resetting the device the element 52 is raised and the catch 55 held engaged with the shoulder 5% by returning the lever 17 to normal position.

To prevent splashing out of the mercury from the cups l, the lower ends of the contacts 6 are pointed, whereby the reliability of the switch is insured.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages or the construction and method of operation will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation, together with the apparatus which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made when desired as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination of a normally closed fire alarm circuit and an electromagnet therein and normally energized, with a fire house lighting system, a device for throwing the system into and out of operation and controlled by the electromagnet to throw the said device into operation, and a clockworlrs determining the period during which the lighting system will remain in use, and including means whereby the lighting system will be thrown out of use and remain so until the apparatus is manually reset after the receiving of an alarm.

2. The combination of a normally closed alarm circuit and a normally energized electromagnet therein, with a fire house lighting system, a device for throwing the said system into service, means adapted to be man'- ually reset and normally held by the energized electromagnet for holding the device in service cut-out position and adapted, when the magnet is deenergizaed, to permit the device to move to service position, a clockworks for determining the period in which the lighting system will be in ser ice, means controlled by the electromagnet for controlling the starting of the cloekworks, means having a movement sufficient for throwing the device to service cut-out position and insufficient to reset the first mentioned means to normal position, a device actuated by the clockworks for controlling the last-mentioned means, and means for automatically stopping the clockworks after the lapse of a predetermined period of time.

3. The combination with an alarm circuit normally closed and a magnet in the said circuit, with a fire house lighting system, a device for throwing the system into and out of service, a member normally held by the electromagnet to retain the device in service cut-out position and released by the electromagnet when the same is deenergized, to permit the device to throw the system into service, a cloekworks, a dog connected with the member to control the starting of the clockworks when the magnet is deenergized, a dog automatically actuated by the clockworlrs for stopping the same after the lapse of a. predetermined period of time, a member actuated by the clockworks just prior to the stopping thereof, and means controlled by the last-mentioned member for causing the said device to be thrown to service cutout position.

t. The con'lbination of a normally closed fire alarm circuit and a. normally energized magnet therein, with a fire house electric lighting system, a normally open switch in the said system, a member normally held by the energized electromagnet to hold the movable element of the switch in open circuit position, a elockworks, a device controlled by the clockworks for moving the movable element of the switch to open circuit position, a dog controlled by the electromagnet to permit the clockworks to start when the electromagnet is deenergized, and a device for automatically stopping the clockworks after the same has caused the switch to automatically open.

5. The combination of a fire alarm circuit and an electromagnet normally energized, with a fire house lighting system ineluding a device for throwing the lights into and out of use, said device including a movable element mounted to automatically move to service position, manually reset means controlled by the electromagnet for holding the element out of service position,

means tending to move the element from service to n0n-service position, and a mechanism active after a predetermined lapse 10 of time after the throwing into service of Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

